Clinical-thermometer case.



provide a'thermometer-casewitha flexible vvalve of closure of such construction that as the thermometer is withdrawn from ',the case Ytheantiseptic willfbe wiped therefrom and i To all whom it may lconcern:

Beit known that I, JOHN'F. MYERS, a citi-- zen of the United States, residingat Sodus, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, 'l have invented anew and useful ClinicaloFF-E- JOHN n MYERS;- oF "sones, NEW YORK.

Thermometer Gase, of which the following is as eciication.

' his invention relates to clinical thermometers, and has for its prihcipalobject to provide 'a novel form. o thermometer-case arranged toicontain aliquidantise tic and of such construction as to prevent t e escape of f. the antiseptic. when the thermometer is withf drawn. A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the thermometer i within the case in such manner as to prevent contact between the thermometer and the innerwall of the case. l

- ther cleansing.

' A still further lobject of the invention is to the thermometer `may be used without fur- With these and other objects in -view,'as

will more fully hereinafter a pear, the invention consists incertain nove `features of con- .struction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the'accom-- I pan'ying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being underthe spiritor sacrificing any ofthe stood that various changes in the form, proportions, sizeand minor details of the structure may be made without departing from advantages ofthe invention. l

v In the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 isa sideelevation of a t ermometer-case constructed 1n accordance wlth the invention,

4. showing the clinical thermometer in position the case., Fig. 2. is a vertical sectional.

1`view-of the up l er portion of the ca'se, drawn y inpositio'n. Fig. 3 is a view similar to`Fig.-2V

viewysimilar -to Fig.2, illustrating a slight.. umbdiiication of the'invention. Figs. 5 and 6 to'an enlarge scale, with the thermometer with the thermometer removed, the inwardextending flange or collar beingshown in' the position which it assumes when relieved from pressurel of the thermometer. Fig. 4 is a i f arge views similar to Fig.4,'illustrating still further modifications of the invention.

7 is' afplan view of a modified ormpof closure.

Fig, `8 is aLtr'ansverse sectionalview offthe Specification of LettersPatent. y weggaan med mmh 24,1902. serial No. 99,790.

Fig.

cLlNloAL-THERMOMETER CASE. f

Patented .une 19,1906.

same.'` Figs. -9 and 10 are sectional detail views of two vmodified forms ofclosures.

i Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondin parts throughout the several figures of the rawings. Referring lto Figs. 12, and 3f of may be made 'of any matecover. The bod he purpose; butv owing tothe rial suitable for t theldrawings, 1 designates the lbody portion'oithe case,2 thedetachable head, and 3 the'capl or corrosive qualities of the antiseptic usually glass. y closed, andthe upper portion is.' provided with external screw-threads to be engaged b internal screw-threads formed int "e hea ranged a combine -closureand valve 4, conthermometer has been removed.- T hef'com bined closure and valve 1s 1n .this instance passage of thel thermometer in both direc# ingof such diameter as to prevent the escape of'forming't e flange inte' al with the vmain Jproximately the samediameter as. that of t e -thermometer, presenting*` a yielding cushi`o1`1', 'which serves to hold theitliermometer out-of 'engagement with 'theinnerwall ofthe-case. The upper 4potionof` the .closure isfprovided withv a -marginal' flange-7, ladapteditv b i upon the upper edge "of the mout 'of the body and be clam ed thereagainstbyfanan- Anular shoulder, 8, i?

employed it'isp'referred tomake the body` of The lower. lportion of the body is Within the upper ortionof thebody is ar' stituting also alwiper, 'which' is made 4of any servesto prevent the escapeof theantiseptic when the case is lying ilat on its side after the..

ormed on the-innerwall ofi.' g. the head .2,1 ,and as the latter has .a`threaded;`

produced by formingv the upper terminal thereof with an inwardly-extending annular flange 6, which, being yieldable, permits the tions and after the' removal' of the thermomel ter is practically 'closed,`the openingleftbe#` v of the antise tic. It-is o bvious that instead body '4 of thejclosure t ye* ilan'gemay be, I ,Y formed of a se arate'member 6%, assh'owii' in Fig. 9. .The ore 5 'of the closureisofa 1 l i, connection with ,the lbodyit maybescrewed- -tight for :J the purpose iof: compresgingggthe f flange, and thereby forming aseal to prevent the escape of theantiseptic. The upper portion of the head is provided with external `screw-threads to be engaged by internal threads on the cap 3'.

The thermometer 9, which may be of any desired construction, carries at its upper end -a rounded knob 10, ,which maybe made of vulcanized rubber or other suitable material and secured to the thermometer by an interposed packing 11,`which may be a suitable cement, such as plaster-of-paris, an adhesive substance, or a Asoft-rubber collar, and in many instances the latter will bepreferred, as it will' establish a yielding connection between the knob and thermometer, which will operate to shield Vthe latter against breakage when being withdrawn from the ease.

By the employment of the knob 10 it will be unnecessary for the user to handle the thermometer by the fingers, thereby lessening the possibility of the transmission of disease-germs or septic matter to the mouth of the patient.

When using the form of thermometer just described, the cap 3 is first removed and the knob 10 is grasped by the fingers of the operator and the thermometer withdrawn from the body of the case, in which act, as before pointed out, the antiseptic will be wiped from the thermometer.

From a standpoint of cleanness and lightness itis preferred that the head and cover be made of gutta-percha; but it is to be understood that these parts may be made of metil and still be withinthe scopeA of the invention. .in the form. of embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the closure and valve are in the form of a fiat centralperforated diaphragm 6b, which is positively clamped in position by the annular shoulder 8 of the head in the manner already described and operates in precisely the same manner to strip the thermometer of the antiseptic and prevent the escape thereof when the thermometer is lying flat,

' the orifice and the diaphragm being made of a diameter considerably less than that of the thermometer for .that purpose. It is obvious that, if preferred, the opening of the diaphragm may be formed in the same manner as the bore of the closure shown in Fig. 3- that is to say, it may be smaller on the upper side of the diaphragm than on the lower side, and as this will be readily understood it is not thought necessary to specifically illustrate the same. Instead of having the thermometer detached from the cap or cover, as shown in Fig. 2, the same is attached thereto, as by a fil-ling 11a, of eement,an adhesive, or by a collar of yielding material, such as rubber, and this cap performs the same function as the cap 10 in preventing contact between the iingers of the operator and the thermometer.

ln the form of embodiment ofthe invention shown in Fig. 5 the valve or closure 6 .instead of being provided with an orifice is provided with two slits 15, disposed at right angles to each other, as shown in Fig. 7, :ind

tongues-will operate as wipers to remove the antiseptic clinging to the thermometer and then close the cese to prevent escape of the antiseptic. lThe head. 2 is constructed m the same manner as that shown in Figs. 2, 3, and

4, except that its upper end is provided with internal threads instead of the externnl threads, and these threads are engaged by a plug 10', preferably of hard rubber, havin fi peripheral flange 17, that bears upon the mouth of the head. The upper enfl ef the thermometer is secured to a knob' id, that preferably is provided with a knurled band 19, said knob being held in place by a filling of cement 11, previously described. In this form of embodiment of the invention the plug 10 is permanently associated with the head that is to say, when the thermometer is withdrawn by catching hold of the knob 10" the plug remains associated with the bead.

In the form of embodiment of the inven tion shown in Fig. 6 the plug 1G is held in frictional engrgement with the inner surface of the head 2 and may be formed of either hard or soft rubber, preferably the latter. The knob 10u is the Same :is that previously described. In order to hold the plug 16 upon the thermometer when the latter is withdrawn from the ease, it is preferred to employ a collar 24, carried by the thermomelOO ter. and bearing against the under side of the plug; but this is not essential and may .be omitted without interfering with the proper operation of the device. .lo limit inward movement of the plug, a collar 25, preferably of hard rubber, is associated therewith.

The valve or closure 6d shown in Fig. G may be of the form sliown in Fig. 4- or that shown in Fig. 5. it is obvious that the knob and plug may be made of one piece of rubber, either hard or soft, as shown in. Fig. 10.

As a means of connecting or associating the case with the garment of a user a flexible connection in the nature of a chain 27 is provided, one end of which is furnished with a ring 28, adapted to be clamped between the lower end of the head and a shoulder 29 of the body, and the other end is provided with asafety-pin 30, to be hooked into the garnient. The shoulder 29 is only shown in the embodiments of theinvention exhibited in Figs. 1, 2, and 3; but it is to be understood that it may be employed in connection with the forms of the invention shown in connection with Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and as this will be readily understood detailed illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Insteadof employing the ring 28'- as av means of associating the' chain With the case an eye-bearing pin or staple SOma be emlisbeing connected in any suitable manner with the head-in --this instance by v'upsetting or bending its; innerendag'ainst .the innen Wall of the head, ascle'arlyshovvn inFig. 6. 4 By the em loyment of the attachment danger 'of spil ing or vWasting of the antiseptic.

'will be obviated and loss ofthe instrument will be .ment Wi 1prevented. Generally the attachbe preferred; but it is tobe understood that it may be omitted 'without departing jr'rom the spirit of the invention.

It will be seen from the foregoing descripy tion that the thermometer-cases herein described provide effectively and practically for the elimination of danger of transmission of disease-germs and that the arrangements defined are simple of construction and may lbe readily ap lied to thermometers of this class now on t e market.

a resilient closure having al bore for ing the flange against the mouth.

2.V A tl1""rmometer-case comprising a body portion havinga-plug-like closure rovded with afbore and having a constricte portion constituting a valve, and being further rovided with a flange to engage the mout of the bod a member providedfwith means to clamp t e flange against the said mouth, and a cap or closure carriedby thefmember.l

' 3. .The combination with'a,thermometer-` provided at its u.

case, oiak closure provided with ano'riiicejgf and forming avalve, said closure bearingagainst the mouth of the case, aring sur- -rounding the u per end of the body and having afastening eviceflexiblyconnectedtherewith, and a head for securing the closure and ring. in fixedl position against the case.

4.j A thermometer-case comprising a body provided at itsu per portion With threads, a resilient closurefiirmng a valve and bearing against the mouth of the body, a head engaging the threads of the body and serving to clam the closure thereagainst, anda cap of said head. v 5. A thermometer-case comprising 4a body resilient closure orming a valve,vand'bearing `against the mouth of the body," .a head engaging the threads of the body and operating to clamp the4 closure thereagainst, and aknob secured to the upper end ofthe thermometer,

substantially as specii'ed.A 6. A linical thermometer, comprising a casing `o'r lcontainin an antiseptic solution and provided with aj ead screwed on the u -7 per end of the casing, a-closure held on t e upper edge ofthe' casin andengaged by'an annular shoulder on t e'head'to securely vhold theclosure in position, the latter having an opening for the passage ofthe thermometer, 'and a cap having a connection with the' head and to which the upper end of the thermometer isl secured, as set forth.

In ltestimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of-two Witnesses.

y j JOHN Fi MYERS. Witnesses: i

C.W. GAYLORD, MEET DUNNING,

per portion with threads, ar

l55 detacha ly connected to the upper portionv 

